25 years of the Austrian Paralympic Committee: inclusion in top-class sport

2023-05-02 16:27:22

Event in Parliament on the occasion of the 25th anniversary

Vienna (PK) – On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Austrian Paralympic Committee (ÖPC), the President of the National Council, Wolfang Sobotka, invited to the House of Representatives. The participants of the event were convinced that competitive Paralympic sport is now on a par with Olympic sport. Through sporting achievements, Paralympic top-class sport was made visible, the respect of society was won and it was ensured that today there is hardly any area of sport in which people with disabilities are not active, according to ÖPC Secretary General Petra Huber. Austria is also a top nation in Paralympic sport.

Parliament has a long tradition of connecting with the Paralympics, emphasized Parliamentary Director Harald Dossi, representing National Council President Wolfang Sobotka. Today’s event will take place in the refurbished parliament building, which is largely barrier-free after the refurbishment, according to Dossi. Accessibility does not only refer to the local conditions, but also to the information available, emphasized the Parliamentary Director.

Rauch-Kallat: Inclusion instead of integration

“In the beginning we were looking for integration, now it’s about inclusion,” emphasized Maria Rauch-Kallat, President of the Austrian Paralympic Committee. The last 25 years have contributed significantly to the acceptance and respect of disabled sports. “Instead of pity, the athletes want recognition and respect for their achievements,” she looked back at the “hard way”. There is still a lot to do for the future, said Rauch-Kallat with a view to being sent to the upcoming Paralympic Games. For a long time it was considered impossible to accept disabled athletes into military service. With the contractual equality for army athletes – with and without impairments – a sign was set, Rauch-Kallat was convinced. In 2016, the army began offering jobs for disabled athletes. With new contract options, disabled athletes currently employed by the army can decide whether to continue their service after their sporting career as civil contract employees or as military personnel.

Enabling all people unhindered access to competitive sports through inclusion

Inclusion in competitive sport is about giving everyone, regardless of whether they are disabled or not, equal and unhindered access to competitive sport. Existing structures and systems in competitive sport would have to be designed or changed in such a way that competitive athletes with disabilities can participate completely and on an equal footing, says ÖPC Secretary General Petra Huber, looking back on numerous challenges and attaching particular importance to the equality of Paralympic athletes :Inside. A milestone in recent years was that the Paralympics took place in the same place as the Olympic Games, she emphasized. The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) will transfer all summer sports and all winter sports to the respective international sports federations by 2026, Huber reported on further progress in inclusion. Athletes are anchored today, represented, and can express their opinion. The search for sponsors has become easier. “Some sponsors have been supporting the Paralympics for 25 years, but some sponsors are now approaching us of their own accord,” explained Huber.

Andrew Parsons, President of the IPC, addressed the guests in a video message. In it he praised Parliament as a place where the quality of life for people with disabilities has been improved through legislation in recent years. Austria has a pioneering role in para sports, said Parsons.

Paralympic participants: The spirit is the same

In a panel discussion, active and former Paralympics participants gave insights into the development of the Paralympics over the past 25 years. “It’s no longer an issue that we’re there,” reported skier Claudia Loesch about the self-image of disabled sports that has been achieved. It was important to Lösch not to portray people with disabilities as victims. She doesn’t want pity, she emphasized. Claudia Loesch celebrated her greatest success by winning two gold medals in slalom and super-G at the 2010 Winter Paralympics in Vancouver. From her point of view, the financial security of the athletes is particularly important.

The skier Roman Rabl reported on the Austrian customs project, which is unique in the world, in which the equality of support for disabled athletes was implemented in a state ministry. Athletes are enabled to practice their sport professionally and at the same time to be socially secure. A personal training plan is drawn up in line with the training and racing plans, so that training in the customs administration takes place in parallel during the time when you are not racing. This model enables “career after career” and is very much appreciated by the young athletes.

The “spirit” at the Paralympic Games inspires the athletes to perform at their best, reported triathlete Florian Brungraber. In triathlon, the start of people with disabilities has long been anchored, everyone sees the start as normal. Brungraber is preparing for a tough race for the upcoming games in Paris. The competition never sleeps, he stressed. In order to find sponsors, media work is very important. According to Brunngraber, range is more important than sporting performance.

Equestrian athlete Pepo Puch was a rider at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens before his accident. In London 2012, he then competed in the Paralympics for the first time. “The spirit is the same”, the people are drawn along, he emphasized. From Puch’s point of view, the inclusion has been successful. For the athletes there is planning security for the next four years, he reported on the good embedding of para sports in Austria. The qualifying conditions for the next Paralympics are more difficult than ever, according to Puch, who would like to accept the challenge. The type of reporting on para-sports has improved, the fears of the press have decreased, he reported on the pioneering role of the ORF disabled sports magazine “Without Borders”.

The event was moderated by Andreas Onea and Miriam Labus. (close) gla

NOTE: Photos from this event can be found in the Parliament web portal .